Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2022 - 22

WE MUST RECOGNIZE AND DESIGN
NEW WAYS OF WORKING TO EMPOWER
EMPLOYEES, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY
AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY LIVE.
needs. However, the following steps
will be useful for any group seeking to
make improvements:
1. Establish a diverse and inclusive
workplace. Is your organization
actively seeking talent across
backgrounds to enrich your team
with varied talent and points of view?
Has your organization put measures
in place to support recognition of
lived experience, provide necessary
accommodations and encourage the
inclusion of all members of your team?
Does your workforce reflect your client
base and community? Contributions
from people of different ethnicities,
genders, ages and socioeconomic
backgrounds are needed to build a
successful organization and should
be encouraged.
2. Use evaluations to create a map that
makes sense for your organization. Is
your team more engaged and productive
from home, or in the office? The needs of
employees may vary by role, personality,
personal life needs and tools needed
to perform their jobs. Some employees,
for example, are more productive at
home where they can focus effectively
to produce creative or highly detailed
analytical work. Others may benefit from
collaborative brainstorming and access
to team members. Plan your decisions
based on team and individual needs.
You may do this by taking surveys.
You might also use the talent in your
L&D departments to leverage needs
analysis data collection. Performance
mapping, use of needs analysis tools
and performance consultants are all
useful options.
3. Invest in improved content and
reconsider your use of technology. It's no
wonder that organizations are placing
upskilling, reskilling, onboarding,
leadership and diversity equity and
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inclusion (DEI) training at the top of
their priority lists for the year ahead,
as these are all vital areas to increase
workplace equity. You can improve
content in all these areas by rethinking
the user experience (UX) design to
develop a blended model. Use video,
interactive websites, social functions
like chat and content planning that
considers both in-person and remote
experiences. Make it mobile. Create
platforms that act as a repository of
knowledge that employees can access
to do their jobs when a manager isn't
available to take questions.
4. Communicate intentions and updated
policies to management effectively.
Have you gotten buy-in from
management to increase equity in your
workplace? It's a critical step to provide
management with training and support
to build equity, as they are on the front
lines with your team. Help them be
proactive and give them the tools to
communicate effectively. Provide them
with skills training, confidence-building
immersive exercises and more.
5. Provide skills training. Do you have
a career development training plan in
place? According to multiple industry
reports, including the 2021 LinkedIn
Workplace Learning report, more
employees (and especially Gen Z) are
using remote time to access training
programs to improve performance.
Providing employees with accessible
options to improve and develop their
career is key to promoting equity.
CONCLUSION
Any
equity
employees to give their best and
bridge gaps between in-person and
remote team members. Organizations
that recognize and support their
employees will benefit from increased
productivity, loyalty and retention - all
of which improve the bottom line and
increase successful outcomes.
Blake Beus is the vice president of
Sales and Business Development at
AllenComm. He leads the new business
team and focuses on supporting
strategic relationships with their clients.
What Blake enjoys most about his role
at AllenComm is helping organizations
implement initiatives that have a real
impact on the business. Email Blake.
CRITICAL SKILLS FOR
MANAGEMENT IN
HYBRID WORKPLACES
Management is on the front
line with employees. Their skills
can make or break your efforts
in creating an equitable hybrid
workplace. It is important to provide
management with training on the
following topics:
* Proactive Communication.
Help your management team
realize that communicating
early and often is vital to
ensure that employees know
how to be successful.
* Technology Training.
All your employees should
know how to use the tools
available. Ensure they have
support by training your
management team in best
practices.
initiative
implemented
by your organization should be an
ongoing effort. There will always be
room for improvement. The goal,
ultimately, is to support and empower
* Capability Training. Has
your management team
had practice in diffusing
conflict, recognizing mental
health issues, DEI and other
skills needed to make good
decisions and support the
team? Build their capabilities,
and you support your entire
workforce.
https://www.allencomm.com
Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2022

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